New Parliament Building to be Ready by October 2022

Construction of the new Parliament Building, which will have separate offices for all MPs, will begin in December.

Representative image.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

India is likely to get a new parliament building by October 2022 as construction of the new structure will begin in December this year, reported news agency PTI. According to the report, necessary measures will be taken to ensure that parliamentary proceedings are not disrupted by the massive construction work that will take almost two years before lawmakers can step into a brand new building.

Unnamed officials cited in the report say that steps will be taken to control air and noise pollution the construction of this new structure, which will house separate offices for all MPs, is likely to generate.

Here are a few features that the new parliament will boast of:

• Complete digital infrastructure to enable a paperless operation
• Grand Constitution Hall, showcasing India’s democratic heritage
• A lounge and a library for MPs
• Committee Rooms, Dining Areas and abundant parking space

One of the most significant changes in the new parliament building would be its increased capacity. While Lok Sabha will have a seating capacity of 888 members instead of the present 543, Rajya Sabha will have a seating capacity of 384, up from 245.

According to the report, the capacity of both the houses have been increased “keeping in mind the future increase in the number of members for the two houses.”

The foundation stone of the present Lok Sabha building was laid on 12 February 1921 and the building was finally inaugurated on 18 January 1927 by the then Governor General of India, Lord Irwin.

On 16 September, Tata Projects Ltd beat Larsen and Toubro to win the contract to construct a new Parliament building at a cost of Rs 861.90 crore.

According to NDTV, the new building will be designed in the shape of a triangle, and CPWD had estimated a cost of Rs 940 crore.

(With inputs from PTI & NDTV)